Dancing with the King
by kiki83
Summary: TAKE #1a - The first alternating lemony scene 4 my FF "The King's Eyes." It'll prolly B confusing if U don't read it first. Ichigo pays Rukia a visit @ our favorite shinigami shouten. Eventually an Ichi/Rukia LEMON. A bit of Ichi/Hime fluff only in beg.
1. The Star & the Strawberry

Disclaimer: Don't own Bleach or any of the characters, I just lock myself in my room & make them bend 2 my muse's will.

A/N #1: Okay so this is the first FF in what I plan 2 B a handful tied in 2 The King's Eyes which can B found here if U don't already know: fanfiction .net /s/5190769/1/ if ur lazy like me & don't want 2 look 4 it on my page. For those of U reading this that are a little more casual w/Ur FF pairings this is only, "Take #1" in this "series" I plan 2 write other FF's--LEMONS--w/several different types of couples. If U're a hardcore Ichigo/Rukia this is where we'll partways until I think of another FF w/them. I don't have any sort of set list of couples so I tend 2 upset those that do. This chapter is a little fluffy, & I plan on there being a lemon.

A/N #2: Here's my usual quick reference Japanese/English dictionary 4 the following chapter, words that U might not come across in normal Bleach FF. _otousan-_father, _Koneko_-kitten, _furisode_-type of kimono with long sleeves (like 40 inches) , _Konbanwa_-good evening (greeting), _Domo arigatou gozaimasu_-thank U very much (polite), _Oyasuminasai_-good night (when one is going 2 sleep), anything else? go here www. eudict .com

_Any thoughts or mental communication by the characters will B italicized like this. Also things in Japanese including some sword names & whatnot._

**_Any mental communication done from within, 4 example the hollow talking internally w/Ichigo will B italicized & bold like this._**

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The Star and the Strawberry

I tried my best, but I made Orihime cry. I'm sure she didn't intend the sight of it to render me almost powerless, wondering if there was any other way to cheer her besides staying here with her in my arms. So yeah she didn't make what I had to do easy. I knew I had to leave; it wasn't safe to be with her no matter how short the time was. Yes I'd admitted to loving her, we were stuck at that moment--**couldn't** go further--because I had to leave to find Shinji.

I couldn't be with anyone; I wasn't just making excuses to escape. Yes, escape a naked, willing...Grrr...

Body shivering with tears she had fallen asleep murmuring nonsense as she snuggled against me. She wiggled a lot in her sleep as if aware of her position even asleep and thus...

Hard-on in tight jeans.

_Fucking hollow, _Igrumbled as I finished dressing.

"Kurosaki-kun..." Orihime's hushed whisper made me freeze on the spot, but she was still sleeping. I moved to lean over to catch a look at her face, angelic in sleep. I didn't deserve any of these women around me, even this one.

"I'm so sorry Inoue..." I murmured and started to turn away to leave the room as her sleep talk continued.

"I can wait..." She sighed and a small smile curved her lips as she nestled her head deeper into her pillow. "Kinda...like..." She gave a soft snort, almost a snore but for the breathy whisper of, "Normal...again."

Normal? I wish I remembered what that meant. For me it was something I'd abandoned that night so long ago when I'd taken Rukia's power to save the lives of the people I love. For Orihime...

A different wave of guilt smashed into me as I thought of words she'd told me less than an hour ago. _'__I'm tired of not telling you how I feel inside...I've loved you for so long...'_ How long? How long did I say and do things to make her heart shatter little by little?

I shook my head to break the hundred yard stare at her sleeping form as I contemplated unintentional hurtful words in the classroom and slipped out of Orihime's room, before my body rebelled--in the normal teenage hormone-driven way, not in a resurgence of my hollow way.

I thought about taking a quick trip back home to ditch my body with Kon. As my mind went over the quickest route it inevitably continued with "what ifs," the biggest being; what if my hollow came back while I was there?

I didn't have time.

Guilt rose inside like high tide, Karin and Yuzu would worry if I disappeared again, so soon...I would rather them worry than meet my hollow in the hallway outside my room.

Plus Kon was off somewhere being distracted by Ririn.

My ability to track spiritual energy wasn't all that great; especially when I didn't have a connection with whomever I tracked, emotional or otherwise. No surprise then that when I reached around for a sign of Shinji I found the tightest connection I'd managed to forge at my age.

People don't usually find it, I'm sure. I was lucky that I'd been at the right place and the right time to become tied to Rukia.

It was true, I had my own power now, and that turned out to be the biggest problem. In gaining my own powers I opened that door to a power the living shouldn't possess, nor the _shinigami_.

I wished I could have inherited my powers. But then if mom had been a _shinigami_ she wouldn't have fallen to that Grand Fisher bitch. And _otousan_...

Shit, if they let people like Matsumoto and Yumichika become _shinigami_ then _otousan_...Heh...Naw.

"Damn," I hissed at myself as my distracted sneakers crunched on the gravel in the alleyway leading to a familiar_ shouten_.

Urahara's.

I would be lucky if the entire _shouten's_ inhabitants didn't already know I was lurking in the shadows. I turned quickly, cursing my distracted state, and made myself focus on leaving with no destination just needing distance fast.

"You okay Ichigo-kun?"

For a moment I mistook the rough voice for Renji and I grimaced as I remembered how pissed he was at Orihime's. I spun around to see the small dark shape of a black cat running along the fence starting from across the front yard of the _shouten._

"Where are you coming from?" I asked instead of answering the feline. "Or were you just out walking the perimeter?"

"You're learning," Yoruichi's masculine cat voice was obviously not Renji's.

Guilty much? Me?

Naw.

"You hear about--"

"Yes," Yoruichi didn't stop after jumping down off the fence to cross the alley toward me, she continued back down the alley to the sidewalk.

I followed her, gaining that distance I'd wanted so badly, even if everyone in the area knew where I was. "Urahara fill you in?"

"I was here when Rukia-san came looking for help," The cat ambled down the sidewalk just outside the street lights unlike a normal cat. "Kisuke knew what to do, Abarai-kun was boiling for a fight..." She murmured explaining how they had decided who was going to assist Rukia. "It was Abarai-kun's night for the watch but I've been quite the insomniac as of late...So..."

I listened to her voice the "what ifs," getting to me again as I dragged my feet. I knew I was only delaying the inevitable, knew I had to find Shinji, knew I couldn't let my hollow win. I still found my feet dragging.

"She's been crying since they got back."

Almost tripping on the perfectly even sidewalk at the cat's words my eyes swiveled to the cat as she turned to peer up with golden eyes. "Crying."

"Abarai-kun only just persuaded her to let him in her room," Yoruichi sat down her tail curling neatly around her feet. "Shame he's going to get her on the rebound, poor boy deserves better than that."

"_Koneko_-_hime_?" Urahara's dulcet sing-song brought my attention around and I jumped to see the shopkeeper only a few feet behind me. "Ah, Kurosaki-kun!" He was already behind his fan eyes mischievous, but it was held far enough away to reveal most of his face so he could fan himself casually. It wasn't even warm.

"Urahara, I'm sorry for the hour--"

"Nobody but the kids and Kurōdo are asleep at this hour Kurosaki-kun," Urahara snapped his fan shut and took me by surprise with a sudden _shunpo_ toward me.

By the time I tried to block any blows--I was so much slower in my physical body!--Urahara's dark _haori_ fluttered in my face. I turned, teeth gritted as he disappeared behind me only to see he hadn't been attacking me at all but coming to Yoruichi's rescue.

I clamped my eyes shut but Yoruichi's nude human form was already covered thanks to Mr. Hat-and-Clogs's strange ESP. Maybe it was just the woman; I always wondered how long ago their friendship went.

"I gently reminded Abarai-kun of his duties this evening," Urahara's arm was still clutching the _haori_ closed, using the pretence to keep his arms around Yoruichi's slimmer, curvier form.

"Oh but I've got to do my part of Karakura Town," Yoruichi protested.

With overly dramatic lunging steps of his long legs, his _geta_ plunking on the sidewalk, he guided Yoruichi away. I watched semi-amused as he glanced over her shoulder at me with a grin. "Remember Shiro-chan--oop!" Urahara snapped his fan shut and bonked his own head. "I mean Hitsugaya-_Taichō_ said no one should venture far into town alone and that means you too!"

Urahara's _geta_ and his voice grew fainter as he and Yoruichi left me standing there alone on the sidewalk. How had Yoruichi gotten anything remotely stealthy done with a loudmouth like Urahara tagging along?

I take that back, I've seen him with a _zanpakutō_.

I turned back a moment, from my spot on the sidewalk I could just see the fence surrounding the _shouten _and it's courtyard. Renji was now on watch? I definitely wasn't going to press my luck.

Not that I'd had all that great luck tonight. I don't know why I thought coming here was any better than the clinic; at least everyone here could defend themselves.

I bit my lip and turned away as I remembered how well Rukia had fought against my hollow. I closed my eyes and dreaded hearing his maniacal laughter echoing in my head my lips moving over a silent curse directed at the bastard.

Not the expected reasons were behind it; mostly the paltry memory of what she tasted like angered me. I had the knowledge secondhand and there would be no way to experience it myself. Not yet anyway.

I promised myself I would get through this training and come back to her. I would make time before the war started.

If she would have me that is. I wouldn't blame her, I'm a monster.

**Where do you suppose you are going?**

I gave a strangled gasp and went still as a soft voice murmured in my mind. I quickly spun on my heel only to let my eyes slam shut as I was seized by vertigo after finding myself standing on the normally vertical face of a skyscraper. As my inner world wasn't subject to normal gravity I was standing on it as if it was horizontal.

I was in my _shinigami_ form of course but I took little notice of that since I never came to this place totally alone. My eyes fell on, not Zangetsu, or my hollow but a complete stranger. Here. How?

I had thought my time was already up but the words that had echoed in my head and the figure that stood in front of me wasn't my hollow."Um, who are you?"

The woman was short, about the same height as Rukia, hairstyle longer but achingly similar, but everything else about her was different. Rukia's skin was pale but this rendition's was like snow. "_Baka_," She shook her head softly her long, soft blue hair falling in her eyes, so familiar that I was reaching forward to move it out of her face with a fingertip before I realized.

The nearly floor-length sleeves of her white kimono danced as something cold and hard slapped against my bared wrist knocking it away from her face. There was imperceptible silver thread run through her _furisode_ that caught the light just as well as the shining white of the blade in her hand.

My gaze left her eyes, like shards of hard, pale blue ice, and looked between us at the sword clutched in her left hand. The blade, the guard, the hilt were all white, taking the sun of my inner world and sending it shining into my face. I lowered my hand and stepped back, just incase doing otherwise would be seen as a sign of hostility. "_S-Sode no Shirayuki_?"

Although she seemed to have mastered Rukia's aloof exterior there was a cold detachment about her eyes that her master didn't have. She lowered her arm and the long white ribbon extending from the hilt curled beautifully on the glassy surface of the skyscraper. "Where do you suppose you are going?"

I started to answer but I was overwhelmed by darkness and my heart jumped again into my throat only to settle as my eyes were met with the dark sidewalk and the _shouten_ fence. I looked around but I was truly alone again, what the hell was that? Rukia's _zanpakutō_ dragging me into my inner world? What did she want?

Did Rukia send her?

Rukia had seemed okay earlier. Yoruichi's words about her tears resonated in my mind as I found my feet shuffling forward. Renji had done his bit at consoling at her and they were longtime friends.

_I shouldn't..._

"_Konbanwa_, Kurosaki-kun!" Tessai took me by surprise as I walked through the dark storefront toward the _shoji_ doors, jumping--okay he didn't **jump**--out at me from the dark.

I was using my socked toe to wiggle my other sneaker off when the larger man was suddenly in front of me. I dislodged my other sneaker and stepped back through the open doorway as a hand landed heavily on my shoulder and we both sunk onto pillows scattered around the small table in the center of the room. "_Konbanwa_ Tessai-san."

"Be still," He murmured as he peered so closely into my eyes that I could see his eyes squinting through his tiny glasses. I swallowed audibly as he found whatever he was looking for (or didn't?) and gave me a grin. "What brings you here so late?"

"Rukia…" I stuttered to a halt. What? Her _zanpakutō_ kind of invited me? That would be everyone's last straw on the validity of my sanity I'm sure.

"Ah," Tessai nodded softly without waiting for the rest of my answer and pointed with a jab of his thumb over his shoulder. "She's the last room on the right."

"You might wanna hop to it," A familiar shrill voice chirped. "Kon ran in when Abarai-san stormed off," Ririn appeared through the second set of _shoji_ doors and hopped up on the table with a small grunt, I suppose the jump was high for her stuffed animal body.

I looked back to meet Tessai's eyes, now hidden behind the glare of his tiny glasses before I pulled myself up to my feet and padded down the hallway and knocked softly on the frame of her door.

"Go away."

I frowned at the terse order, the voice was still strong but I easily detected the tremble, "Its Ichigo--"

"No shit," Kon's voice pierced the door even easier than Rukia's followed promptly by a thud and the lion's grunt of pain. "You've got some balls Ichi-_baka_--Mmgh!!" Another solid thud.

"Do you want to leave?" Rukia whispered angrily and Kon's answer was a whine, then silence. "I don't want to talk to you," She called through the door to me.

"Well I need to talk to you," I checked the door and it slid open. Yes, I barged in unannounced, sort of. "Rukia…"

She was still in her _shinigami_ form, laying on a futon under a pile of blankets clutching Kon like he wasn't a mod soul but just a normal stuffed animal. For comfort. It wasn't apparent that she was crying but I still couldn't see her eyes from across the room.

"Get out of that!" Rukia snapped as I moved toward her and I felt her spiritual pressure flared sharply. I stumbled back as something slapped across my chest, a shove of her _reiatsu_.

I retreated to the hallway as her _reiatsu_ vanished as she powered down and didn't hesitate to use my badge. I knew it wasn't a good idea but she could easily see my mask if I lost control.

Besides, I think I've already mentioned a few times that I should be looking for Shinji while staying away from anyone else.

Rukia sat up, Kon still clutched in her arms. No wonder he shut up, the only thing that'll keep him busy at home was one of _otousan's_ Bomb magazines, no surprise real breasts in his face would be an effective muzzle.

"Kon--"

"_Neesan_ said I could stay if I shut my mouth!"

I didn't argue just moved back into the room, after leaving Zangetsu with my body in the hall. I closed the door; I didn't want to be alone with her. Couldn't be.

"I'm here to tell you what I told Inoue," I tried my best to ignore Kon, who was honestly looking like he was doing the same to me. "I can't be with anyone right now."

"Kon, go outside."

"_Neesan--_"

"Kon!" Rukia did a good impression of a baseball pitcher with Kon. As I moved into the room he flew past me and I think I heard him hit the door but I didn't move my gaze from Rukia. "_Baka!_"

"Kuchiki-sama allow me to clear your hallway," Tessai's voice called through the miraculously intact _shoji_ door and I glanced over my shoulder to see his head pop around the doorjamb as he pushed it open enough to accommodate his face.

"_Domo __arigatou gozaimasu!_" Rukia chimed in a soft slightly happier voice.

Tessai nodded and closed the door, after retrieving Kon, who was out for the count. "_Oyasuminasai _Kurosaki-kun, Kuchiki-sama!"

I sighed as I turned back to catch the soft smile on Rukia's face before it faded and I was finally close enough to catch her eyes. "I'm sorry."

Rukia sat with her back against the wall, pulling her knees up to hug them instead of the missing mod soul, still wrapped in blankets. "Sorry for what? The almost sex, or the--"

"What! What do you think?" I blurted out as her voice started to get uglier. "I **will **learn how to control it. Lock it up."

"Ichigo," Rukia shook her head. "I have this belief..." She gave a small shrug of one shoulder as she kept her eyes on the edge of the futon. "The only thing that keeps a soul from being a hollow is their heart; their goodness...whatever it is that's in a soul that makes up love, happiness, pride, victory..."

"Pride?" I lifted an orange eyebrow.

"Humility too..." She sighed in a frustrated way, but only because she couldn't find words effective enough to explain herself. "It's a weird belief...got a problem?"

"No, no," I grinned and shook my head softly.

Another sigh, long and drawn out and she leaned forward to catch my hand. "Remember **that** on your mission to control him--Oh!...don't forget determination."

I threaded our fingers together the feeling of just holding her hand making me feel monumentally better. "I needed plenty of that to regain my _shinigami_ powers."

"Urahara's training must have been intense. I don't know how a _shinigami_ is made..." Rukia admitted. "The only ones I know where born in soul society or were souls that were sent there already with the spiritual energy at an unusual level...That plus six years at the Academy."

I frowned, "You have to go to school to be a _shinigami_?" I didn't want to focus on the unspoken question in Rukia's voice. Urahara would be better equipped to handle that explaination; I still don't get all of it.

Rukia smiled and looked up, her violet eyes almost clear of tears as they met mine. "You could use a few years at the _Shinōreijutsuin_."

"What?" I scoffed, pretending to be outraged but I couldn't hide the grin. "I'm already in school."

Yet another sigh spilled from her lips and her eyes flickered down to where our arms bridged between us. "Wouldn't you want to learn _Kidō_?"

I'm sure my eyes lit up at the idea, Rukia laughed softly as she caught my eye again. I could use my spiritual pressure offensively but only like Rukia had done earlier, brute force like a fist or a wall.

"Would I have to go to be in the _Gotei_?"

Her eyes widened with an audible gasp, "No." Her voice came out softly and suddenly the poignant girl was back. The one I saw in soul society…like the hollow had said I'd always noticed how freer she seemed in the World of the Living.

This time the "Good-Bye" face was from something she'd thought, in reaction to my question? "What's wrong Rukia?"

"Besides one of my comrade-in-arms having a crisis?" Her voice was now huskier, the light reflecting on a fresh sheen of tears in her eyes.

Of course said "crisis," was there in the back of my mind, just a tension, a paranoid awareness for a niggling hollow voice. At the forefront was what I--**it**, what it had done to Rukia and sandwiched in-between a whole hell of a lot of guilt.

"Listen," I could hear the certainty leave as the word left my lips. "I-I really am very sorry Rukia..."

"Just…" Rukia shook her head her hair in her face but I still saw the tears escape onto her pale cheeks. "Just get **stronger**!" She growled and her fingers gripped tight in mine. "Okay?"

"_Hai!_" I lowered my head after a few nods and was surprised when Rukia tugged on our joined hands.

"C'mere," Rukia whispered but the low volume of her voice didn't make the words lose an ounce of authority. Then her pull became more insistent and I lowered to brace a knee on the edge of the futon. "_Baka_."

"Rukia…" I couldn't stay; I'd already been here too long. I wanted to comfort her but--damn it--I shouldn't even be near her! "I can't--"

"_Teme_…" Huffed out of her lips, the scowl on her face mirrored one of my usual expressions. She rocked forward and pulled her legs underneath so she could move forward on one hand and both knees to meet me where I'd stalled at the edge of the futon.

The taste of her lips was so much better than the shade of my hollow's memory. I caught the salt of tears as my tongue ran along the seam of her mouth.

I pulled back and almost went cross-eyed trying to meet her eyes. "I have to go."

"Why?"

"I don't know if it'll stay under control, I can't stay," I was glad to hear how steady my voice was. I was sure of my words.

Yes even if I was here, where I hadn't meant to go, I knew better. I was too selfish, guided by my dick. I know I love her but I should want to leave her to keep her safe--like Orihime.

Did that mean I loved one more than the other? I couldn't protect anyone from that fucking hollow not even myself.

"Then why did you barge in so rudely at such an ungodly hour?" I could tell from the cool way she asked me that she was upset at my rejection but her face was still relaxed, no real expression to guide me. It was obvious that I wouldn't be leaving Rukia any happier than before I'd shown up.

"I don't know."

"You don't know huh?" Rukia mumbled in a derogatory tone. "You didn't figure out how to let Inoue down softly then?"

That question stopped me; I froze where I stood my legs brushing the futon my hand still joined with hers. Was that it? I really wouldn't have described it like that, she had fallen asleep crying. Thinking about it reminded me of how guilt-ridden I still was, how dare I forget? I can't be with anyone right now.

I was able to resist Orihime entirely nude; Rukia in a soft lavender _kosode_ shouldn't be…

"I shouldn't have come here, I've put you in danger again," I shook my head wanting to kiss her good-bye, but I made myself turn and walk away.

_"Bakudō_ number four," Barked out behind me. It was followed quickly by, "_Hainawa_!"

"Rukia--" I spun a moment too late and I felt the warm sizzle of the rope of spiritual energy coil around my forearm with the snap of a whip.

The small _shinigami_ was on her feet the rope clutched in her hand. "If I want you to protect me I'll let you know," She murmured as she closed the distance her eyes bright with anger. "I'm a member of the Kuchiki house for a reason!"

"I'm not--" I protested as I kept tension in the rope of light as I continued to try and escape. "Let me go Rukiammmghf--"

Like the _kidō_ I was taken unawares by a _shunpo_ and soon I was sandwiched between the tiny warrior and the frame of the door her small hand slapped over my mouth. "Do you remember what I told you before I left Inoue's?"

Although it had only been a few hours ago, it felt like an eternity. "You told me you understood…" I watched her make a sour face at my selective memory. I was trapped by a deadly, sexy noblewoman; her soft body pressed to mine making the situation much more awkward, for me at least.

"I said you would have a fight on your hands Kurosaki…" She whispered my surname the bulk of the warning coloring it as she drew out the syllables, letting them roll off her tongue as she let her hand slip from my mouth to rest on my chest. "So you can pick..." Her face moved a few inches closer as she lifted up on her tip-toes but it still wasn't enough to close the distance between our faces. "You can fight me until he shows up and I have to introduce him to _Sode no Shirayuki_..."

"Or?"

"Forget about him and stay with me."

"But what if--"

"_Baka_..." Suddenly she was gone, her weight off of me and the charge of her _kidō _gone. My eyes followed her as she walked away from me and back to her futon. "Leave then, _Oyasuminasai_," She tossed over her shoulder and I was stuck to my spot as if she'd done some other _kidō_ without an incantation or a word of command.

"Are you just going to stand there?" Came over her shoulder again and before I could make myself turn away I saw the fabric of her _kosode_ slip off her shoulders to expose her narrow shoulders. "Ichigo..." Her voice was soft but I heard it easily in the quiet room. "Go away."

That sounded like the worst idea ever, even worse as the soft purple fabric slid down to bare more smooth skin. She glanced over her shoulder to catch my gaze as I drank in each inch of skin and had to yank the _kosode_ back up onto her shoulders to get me to meet her gaze. "Rukia?"

"Are you leaving?"

"Y-yes..." I whimpered and made myself turn away and slip out the _shoji_ door. I stood there a moment staring at the floor of the hallway my mind occupied with the movements behind me even as I wondered where my body had gone. I didn't look back on purpose as I reached to slide the door shut again.

There was a faint mutter of, "_Baka,_" Then her bare feet slapping across the floor of her bedroom. I was in the midst of turning toward her when my eyesight was blocked as she threw something over my head before slamming the _shoji_ door shut.

I pulled the soft fabric off of my head and looked down to find her _kosode_ clutched in my hands. _Damn._

"Kurosaki-san!"

I glanced downward distractedly as my teenage mind started off imagining what was behind that door, and Ririn was walking down the hallway toward me. "Do you need--"

"Kon took your body!"

"What!" I turned and started down the hall and found Zangetsu, still sheathed and resting on a few pillows on the table. "Kon!"

The small stuffed lion was discarded in the corner of the room and I moved to pick it up, resisting the urge to strangle it. Better to wait until he was back inside it.

Ririn was running to catch up with me as I started to leave the _shouten_. "Kurosaki-san! Tessai-san already went after him!"

"What?" I took a deep breath before I threw the stuffed animal back to the floor as if the mod soul was still in it.

"Tessai-san told me to tell you to wait for him to come back," Ririn said timidly. "He's only been gone a few minutes."

I cursed and had to close my eyes and take a deep breath to calm myself, it was never good when I felt violent, angry. It was like fate was conspiring against me.

"Is that Kuchiki-san's?"

I looked down at the purple cotton still clutched in one hand.

I could kiss that filthy perverted mod soul.

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& where did that wonderfully perverted mod soul go w/Ichigo's body? --- www . fanfiction . net / s / 5793706

Read & Review plz! Next chapter will be full of lemony goodness, stay tuned!


	2. A Star's Absolution

**A/N: **OMG sorry for taking so long with these damn FF those of you that have it on alert. I've finally finished this FF and slaving away on Drinking w/the King. Also halfway through chapters on my InuYasha and my Bleach TBTP FF, just gotta get 'em typed up and RL keeps interfering.

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A Star's Absolution

Of course I was cursing myself.

For being stupid, hoping for something I didn't deserve. I was only glad that _Sode no Shirayuki_ kept to herself when I was brooding, she positively ignored me when I was berating myself about Kaien.

I'm sure she would tell me that the ache that still protested between my legs **wasn't** _kami's _idea of punishment. I, however was sure that I currently found myself still being hurt by a vengeful fate set on making sure I never forgot…making me relive throat moment again and again.

Over the decades I'll admit I had grown complacent…Forgotten in the countless tide of hollows I've cleansed that there was one I could have truly saved, had I-for once-lowered my sword. When they took me back to Soul Society for execution it had returned to the forefront of my mind and I had made sure to keep myself aware since. There should have been no pardon for me.

Ichigo's similarity to Kaien had given me the false hope that _kami_ had finally decided to show me some mercy; someone with whom I could truly atone. Funny how I did went about doing that, by taking said boy and making him a reluctant warrior.

Now I find myself in a situation with sickeningly parallels Kaien's. Did I learn my lesson? No it seems I've fallen like the fool I am for that same damn face. I might have been safe if that had been their only common trait…Tonight their faces looked even more similar with the strange eyes of a hollow. Even if tonight's monster came as natural as a _zanpakutō_ to Ichigo-

I was taken by surprise when my tear-blurred vision was blotted out as something heavy fell over my eyes. I fought with the dark until my fingers caught the edge and yanked off the…the top to-sniff-Ichigo's _shihakushō, _both the black _kimono_ and white inner _kosode_. I glanced up from where my fingers had fisted in the black fabric to the half-dressed substitute _shinigami_ standing just inside my _shoji_ door.

"I can never get all the fucking ties," Ichigo grumbled from his spot but a short _shunpo_ away. I would have decided his arms crossed over his bare chest was a defensive posture if I hadn't seen him use it so often…and that scowl.

I could only assume he meant his _hakama_, since the _waraji_ and _tabi_ were nowhere to be seen. "Why don't you go ask Renji…He's just waiting for something to go down…?" I said loudly enough to carry to that eavesdropping pineapple-head that thought he could pull hi-jinks such as eavesdropping on a Kuchiki.

"Rukia…"

I gave a loud sigh and rolled away and toward the wall, bringing the blankets of my futon, Ichigo's _kimono_, and _kosode_ over my head. "Go away Kurosaki."

My highly trained _shinigami_ senses heard the rustle of his _hakama_ as he fidgeted in the same spot. We waited for a full two minutes in silence before he couldn't keep quiet any longer.

"_Sumimasen,_ Kuchiki-sama..."

An Ichigo-like scowl came to mar my brow as I frowned at his sudden formal respect, I itched to peek and see if he might be bowing too. "You're sorry?" I lifted my voice so I wouldn't have to leave the safety of my Ichigo-scented cocoon.

"_Hai_, Kuchiki-sama," His voice came clearly to my ears; he sounded nervous but still as confident as always. I could feel the sorrow and guilt in his _reiatsu_ as it did its usual number and spilled out everywhere.

The cocoon and my own _reiatsu_ as a shield managed to at least keep his spiritual pressure from sliding familiarly along my skin. It never helped keep me level-headed even in battle; I needed his human body and my _gigai_ between us if I wanted to lower my own spiritual pressure into a resting state, but then there would be no way I could sense a difference in his _reiatsu_, exactly what had happened earlier tonight. His hollow had fooled me like I was no more than a fresh recruit from the academy.

"Good! Now leave!" I ordered and I held my breath as I heard the _shoji_ door slide open then closed before he could step through it.

"I need my _kimono_."

"Get in your body and leave!" I shouted in a frustrated voice. I went quiet as his footsteps thumped with a determined weight behind them until he was at the foot of my futon. "Kurosaki!" I exclaimed as I felt the cool draft of air as he untucked the blankets from the foot of the mattress and pulled them up to try and peek under them.

I didn't move the _kimono_ merely grumbled curses at him as he sat, his weight pressing into the foot of the mattress easily shy of my toes by a foot or two. "Kuchiki-sama..." His voice whispered in a respectful tone, but I could hear the mischievous tilt to his lips, feel it in the slide of his _reiatsu_ on my bare feet.

_**Yes! Are you finally done sulking?**_

_I wasn't sulking!_ I denied and at _Sode no Shirayuki__'s_ soft teasing voice I felt a small measure of dread, my _zanpakutō_ had taken a while to warm up to Ichigo, even after being the basis for his spiritual pressure before he'd found his own. I really needed help in this situation, strength to resist the disgraceful behavior I so desperately wanted to be guilty of and…well she is the other half of my soul, a reflection of me.

And I want Ichigo.

_Sode no Shirayuki _didn't have the human hang-ups that I did. Now it was two against one, thank goodness Ichigo's hollow wasn't around for the moment.

As I felt the caress of Ichigo's fingers on my ankle I gasped, "Kurosaki don't!" I moved my feet a few inches higher, my toes barely peeking out from under the _kimono_; I let my spiritual pressure rise a bit more and focused it into a thicker shield. "I'm gonna kick you!" I warned only to bite my lip as a nervous titter of laughter threatened to escape me at Ichigo's answering growl to the less-than-dignified squeak my warning had managed to come out in.

I felt his hand brush my toe and then an insistent tug on the edge of the _kimono_. I made sure my grip on the _kimono_ was secure before I made a cautionary kick of my foot to get him to back off. The kick missed but he didn't, and I heard him chuckle as his fingers tightened around my ankle. "If you want to keep the damn thing so badly, how about you keep it while I'm in it?"

I tried to pull my foot from his grip since my _reiatsu_ didn't do shit to shield me when he was physically touching me, and my feet were about the only thing left after all these decades that was still ticklish. "_Baka_ I'm warning you!" I hissed as I felt him move and suddenly a shriek of laughter escaped me as the fingers of his other hand ran along the tender arch of my foot.

An echo of his own masculine chuckle was cut off as I tried to jerk my foot out of his grip in self-defense. When that didn't work or stop his tickling fingers my next natural reaction caught him in the face and sent him flying back across the room. I heard the grunt and crunch as my foot connected with the very center of his face with more force than either of us expected. If I'd have been in control of my own kneejerk reaction I probably would have only bloodied his nose.

_**Rukia-sama!**_

Concern drowned out the disapproving exclamation of my _zanpakutō_. I threw the blankets aside and sat up to find where Ichigo had ended up in quite an undignified heap against the far wall. I slapped my hand over my mouth to keep the bark of laughter from escaping, but it slipped out the spaces between my fingers as he looked up at me in disbelief from where he was sprawled.

"I **warned** you!" I crowed as I lost the battle and laughed until my stomach hurt. He used that time to get up only managing to make a gross gory mess on the floor as he tried to staunch the blood from his nose with nothing but his hand. "_Baka_!" I made quick work of the voluminous fabric that was Ichigo's _kimono_ and slipped out of the futon with it wrapped around me. It was almost long enough to touch the ground so I bunched it in one hand so I wouldn't trip as I moved to the corner of the room where longer guests put cloths in an impressive armoire.

At the bottom of the wooden wardrobe were towels and small washcloths, I suppose it was my allotment for baths while I was Urahara's guest. I grabbed one of the towels and one of the small washcloths and moved toward him. I threw the washcloth at him and lowered to the floor to take care of the drops that had escaped his hand.

"Here," Ichigo lowered down beside me and tried to take the towel from me. "It's my-"

I kept an arm tight in the folds of the _kimono_ around me and pushed on his shoulder, which he resisted. I pushed myself quickly to my feet and took a firm grip on his ear and hauled him to his feet.

"Rukia-ow!" He suffered being lead by his ear to my futon where I pushed him down to sit. "Come on!"

I grabbed the hand he used to clamp the cloth to his face and pulled it away and he tilted his head back so his blood wouldn't spill down his face onto the pristine futon. I was tall enough that with him sitting almost on the floor I could look down into his face. I sighed and shook my head when moving the cloth revealed a neat red mark almost the perfect shape of my foot...Hm, I did hit his face dead-center. I could tell that even _Sode no Shirayuki _felt proud at my ability to aim under pressure_._

When I started to giggle Ichigo's eyebrows knit into a familiar scowl and he started to lift the cloth back into place. I gave a gentle cuff of my hand to the side of his head and murmured, "_Baka_," then continued on into the incantation of a low level healing _kidō_. I focused on the abused nasal membranes and as I pressed my _reiatsu_ into the damaged tissues Ichigo's body went tense.

A hiss of pain escaped his clenched teeth and his hands were suddenly on my hips. I tried to focus as I was engulfed in his spiritual pressure, breathing through something that felt a little thicker than air, trying instead to use it and the _kidō_ to heal his nose. I also tried my best not to notice that his hands were large enough to almost meet where they encircled my waist.

"I warned you didn't I?" I asked him as I lowered my hand from his face, healing complete. "You're lucky they teach everyone emergency first aid healing _kidō_ for battlefield trauma...I'm horrible at healing _kidō_," I continued to grumble as I gave the now useless sopping wet washcloth a careless toss toward the abandoned towel.

When I used the yard of extra sleeve to clean his face he gave a cry of outrage and jerked his head back. By then he was too late and I tried to smother the smirk as he narrowed his eyes at me and brought one of his hands up to touch his nose. "Thanks, I guess," He murmured a little less than grateful.

I gave him a snort of disbelief and stepped back out of his grasp and out of his line of sight to the door. "_Oyasuminasai,_" I repeated firmly and fixed my eyes on the wall opposite me, aware of his stubborn position still sitting on the futon, his gaze burning into the side of my face.

"I said I was sorry!" He admonished.

_**Rukia-sama!**_ Sode no Shirayuki murmured and it was the closest I'd ever heard to a rebuke from my life-long companion. _**He is apologizing-**_

"Hm," I turned my head just a fraction to meet his confused and frustrated brown eyes, making sure to keep the carriage of a noble, stiff and unapproachable. _And?_ _He's been apologizing all night to me! _"What exactly were you sorry for **now** Kurosaki?"

I made the mistake of letting our gazes meet; I should have kept my eyes firmly away from his. I saw the sorrow and regret and they pulled me in, touched deep down inside and-just like that-I was drowning. I was surrounded by his spiritual pressure and I was barely able to keep that out with focus-which _Sode no Shirayuki_ wouldn't help with-now he made it doubly difficult by shooting that same heartbreaking remorse straight through my shields. I made myself turn away and move to the _shoji_ doors, set on kicking him out again, physically this time if I had to.

"You gave me two choices and I didn't pick either of them."

I stared at where my hand was frozen on the door frame. I told myself to open the door, _open it __**baka**__!_ While _Sode no Shirayuki _grumbled arguments. I growled at my unresponsive arm, and closed my eyes as I resisted the opposite, turning to move into his arms. I wouldn't help punish myself!

_**Not again!**_ Sode no Shirayuki sounded as if she were at her wits end, I was pretty familiar with the feeling since I had it for a much different reason, centered on this boy we both loved.

"So you've changed your mind?" I called over my shoulder and slowly let my _reiatsu_ unfurl, letting it rise of it's own accord, not forcing it...I wasn't allowed to relax the constant hold I kept my power in unless I was in a _gigai_ here in the Living World, at least not for any length of time. I wasn't a _taichō_or _fuku__taichō_, I was pretty sure I didn't need the _Gentei Reiin_ Ukitake had insisted I wear, but I knew my resting level of _reiatsu_ could still influence weaker souls the limiters were made to protect.

"I have," Ichigo blurted out, not thinking on the possible misinterpretations for even a second.

_**Rukia-sama no!**_ Sode no Shirayuki protested as I started to form battle plans for the _"fight me until your hollow decides to show up_,_"_ part of the ultimatum.

_I gave him the choice to either stay and forget about the damned hollow, or fight us until that beast showed his ugly head. _My _zanpakutō_ couldn't really be fooled by the steely intent I put in my _reiatsu_, and truthfully fighting was the last thing I wanted to do, but I'd be damned if I let him have the chance to reject me again. I was a noble; I needed to be better than this. I lifted my hands as I thought over _kidō_ incantations, _Bakudō? Hadō?_ Hm… "_Bakudō_ number four…" I spun on my heel and threw out my hand as I finished with, "_Hainawa!"_

I was taken by surprise as he _shunpoed_ out of sight and reappeared but a second later within arms reach of me. His arm flashed out to catch a tight hold of the rope of spiritual energy and like a living thing the spell twisted around his forearm as he gave it a harsh tug. I gave a grunt of surprise as I tumbled into his arms.

I barely suppressed the pleasurable moan as I crashed into his bare chest, his _reiatsu_ smashing against the flimsy protection of his _kimono_ and sinking effortlessly past my feeble attempt at a shield and into my skin, setting my teeth on edge. As I tried to hold myself together I heard a low groan issue from Ichigo's lips, rumbling in his chest where my fingers reflexively groped.

The _kidō_ dissipated without my focus and before I could ask Ichigo about the sound his arms squeezed the breath from me and his lips lowered to press into the hair on top of my head. "Your _reiatsu_ feels good," He answered before I could brave the question.

_Ah, so you're in the same predicament,_ I smothered the chuckle with the back of my hand, leaning in to press my lips into my knuckles. Leave it to _Sode no Shirayuki_ to take advantage of my lackluster control, I suppose it was the only way she could be involved was to do so through my _reiatsu_.

I knew better than to lift my head, knew he'd be staring down at me with those intense brown eyes. I was already on the edge of my control, ready to give him a brutal push that would land him none-to-gently in my futon, currently across the room.

"Listen Rukia I…" His voice fought to stay level; I could feel just how hesitant he was by how his spiritual pressure wasn't making me go crazy. "I don't want to fight you…"

I hid the small smile against his chest, my cheek resting on the back of my hand where it lay over his heart. The grin tried it's best to grow as I realized we sort of had a game of rejection going; my earlier rejection of his hollow, a few hours later Ichigo rejected me to keep from harming the naive Inoue, moments ago when I acted like a brazen hussy and threw myself at him…

Hell as I see it, I still owed him one. Two if I wanted to get technical.

"If you don't want to fight," I made sure to sound as if that had been my choice and that I didn't plan on wavering. "And you can't dump me on my ass again until Tessai-san gets back with Kon…" I leaned back only far enough to give him a look into glowering violet eyes. "Then what do you expect us to do Kurosaki?"

I expected him to stutter a moment but there was no hesitancy in his eyes. "I want to spend whatever time I have left with you."

The no nonsense of his eyes and _reiatsu_ sent heat through me but his words gave me pause. "Where are you going?"

"I…" The certainty left his eyes and I was surprised to feel his _reiatsu_ pull back from me, _Sode no Shirayuki_ making a low crestfallen sound at its loss. "I can't be around anybody when he takes over."

I nodded, "The hollow?" I followed him as he stepped back to separate us physically too, copying his _reiatsu_. "Who will protect others from you should you lose control again?"

I could see, for a split second in his eyes, there was something he wanted to tell me. Who exactly did he expect to help him?

"I think if I tell you about them…they might not help me," I heard him whisper, as if he thought someone other than Renji were eavesdropping. Or maybe just Renji? "I just need someone stronger…I-I mean like crazy stronger-Ugh," He met my gaze worried he'd offended me.

_**Mistress how can you deny this man?**_

"We're way past the point where I was the source of your power," I shook my head softly, the denial not just for Ichigo, but my obstinate_ zanpakutō_. "You've bested _onii_-sama and I know he is more powerful than me."

With that statement I finally got the flustered blushing teenager. _Kami, Rukia you cradlerobber…_

He must have noticed that we weren't getting any further apart because his backwards progress finally stopped. "Actually I should go…If you could get Kon home and make sure he behaves in school…"

_See_! I gave a frustrated sigh as I looked up to catch the emotions on his face. The usual scowl was firmly afixed and with Ichigo it could mean so many things.

_**He will keep doing this if you let him.**_

_I'm not letting him! You are the one telling me to let him! _I tried to aim the exasperation at Ichigo it would do just as well for him.

_**Rukia-sama I only want you happy, there is a way to do that and keep the silly boy from being so selfless.**_

_How?_

_**Do not let him.**_

I was a little lost, and as my eyes met Ichigo's my _zanpakutō's _words clicked. "Why would I let you do that _baka_?" I asked wishing I were just a little taller. Enough to go up on my toes and continue with my not-so-subtle hint; truthfully I would have kissed him months ago if I could have reached.

Maybe he was studying my _reiatsu_ as closely as I was his, felt my intent… "I-I'm sorry I tried to protect you against your wishes…again," He murmured as he brushed his fingertips along my cheek. "I'm," He hesitated as if searching for words his slow breath a bit shaky. "Not strong enough to defeat you."

_**What?**_

"Ichigo-" I began to protest.

"Maybe-**Maybe** in a fight, but I meant…" He gave a frustrated sigh and I tried not to grin. "Like the hollow…he's in here…" He sandwiched my hand with his, his slightly elevated heartbeat under my palm. "And I can't get you out, I'm fucking selfish because I can't do what's right and walk out the door."

Here I gave him a roll of my eyes and disbelieving shake of my head, "It's getting crowded in there."

"Tell me about it," Ichigo griped.

"Hey that's supposed to be my line," I countered. "You want to spend your last moments with me," I intoned melodramatically. "Tell me about your hollow-"

"Uh-uh," Ichigo shook his head, eyes squeezed shut. "I'm not going to spend a single minute thinking about him, not right now."

I couldn't help but stare at the frustration in every line of his face; I wasn't swimming in his _reiatsu_ so I couldn't tell if it was starting to show there as well. The absence of his spiritual pressure definitely bothered me and _Sode no Shirayuki_ had definitely taken note of it, especially after growing to expect being molested by it twenty-four hours a day while in his company.

Who was I kidding? I was going to kick him out? Wasn't that what he was telling me he should do? Leave?

A warm pulse of _reiatsu_ burst from my hand where it pressed against his chest and took Ichigo by surprise when it pushed him back a few steps. It showed how quick he was on his feet that it was only a stumble back and not the push onto his ass, as intended. His hidden spiritual pressure flared to strengthen his balance and he might have stayed vertical if he hadn't nearly backed all the way to my futon, which he now tripped on, sending into the soft blankets and pillows.

I watched him flail a moment as he figured out which direction was which then he pushed himself up onto his elbows. By the time he looked up I had a foot on either side of him, straddling his waist. Where my legs pressed into his skin I could feel the delicious sizzle of his _reiatsu_ but otherwise the momentary wash of only moments ago was gone. I bit my tongue instead of blurt out a nosey question about it; he was sensitive about his inability to contain his power.

He let himself lower back to lie in the blankets staring up at me, waiting for my next move. I just stood there staring down at him grinning as I wondered how long he would lay there. Ichigo was anything but reserved, he didn't wait for the attack, not often anyhow.

_**Time to see what that reiatsu **__**is up to.**_

I lowered until I was crouched over his legs, resting a little of my weight on him, a leg still on either side meaning I had to let the _kimono_ loosen around me. His eyes jumped almost nervously down to where the fabric started to part but there wasn't more than upper thigh showing before I sat and readjusted it over me. "What I don't get," I said to get his attention, then I leaned forward until I could untie the white sash around his waist. "Is how the hell you got the _kimono_ off before you even untied one _obi_?"

"Um," He seemed to have lost his hold on that scowl at some point, but still no outward sign of his _reiatsu_. "I untucked it?" He asked back as if he somehow knew that wasn't the answer.

It was on the tip of my tongue to comment on the steps of dressing in a s_hihakushō._ He might know from, say a traditional martial arts class; I think I remember Tatsuki mentioning one.

I suppose he thought nothing of it when used to simply tucking a t-shirt into jeans. And damn it, to think I'd been paying particular attention to how to manipulate a zipper just incase…Well just incase I had chance to get into Ichigo's tight jeans.

However the hell he'd managed it the result was the same. Yummy.

I watched him lift his head so he could look down his body at my practiced motions, on the _hakama_ ties I mean. "There's some in the back," I instructed and he met my gaze in the cutest befuddled way, like he was trying to figure out what exactly he was supposed to do about it. "Well?" I gave a soft laugh. "For a guy that wants to be naked, you're not helping me very much."

Finally he wiggled his hips and lifted them up off the futon so I could slip my hands into the waistband of the pants. "Thanks," I said dryly as I leaned forward to take care of the rest of the ties until the _hakama_ were loose enough to slide out of. I stood after that and didn't bother holding the _kimono_ closed, a thin line of pale skin flashing as I moved up his body until Ichigo could reach down to push on his pants.

I bit my bottom lip as I saw his eyes do a slow climb up my legs, eyes fixed on what his _kimono_ still covered as he tried to push the rest of his cloths off without paying them much attention. I couldn't help the soft chuckle that escaped and I gave a soft kick to his flank with my barefoot and his eyes shot up to my face.

"Do you still need help with that?" I asked as I looked down at where his fingers were now fisted in the blankets of the futon and I honestly found myself not any better than the teenager.

In any normal s_hihakushō_ there were formfitting layers that served as undergarments. Personally, since my first stint in the World of the Living I discovered such wonderful things as push-up bras and tag-less French-cut panties. There wasn't the standard loincloth-like _fundoshi_, or the boxers I was actually expecting from the modern substitute _shinigami_.

"Shit, after I took that off the first time there was no way I was getting it back on," Ichigo muttered-I'm not sure about why he'd lost the _fundoshi_ and hadn't bothered with a modern replacement, I could only speculate as I was a bit distracted-as we both silently stared. I'm not sure if he grasped the whole situation, _um, hello there's a woman staring at your cock._

At that thought it happened. I made the mistake of speculating Ichigo's reaction to hearing me use the word cock and…standing ankle deep in futon and strawberry who was sporting an impressive-but still only half-interested-erection…

I giggled.

Now on an ordinary day I'm not very proud of succumbing to a giggle. I saw the ripple of his fabulous abdomen muscles, and it was the only obvious sign that his body was now tightly coiled. "What's so funny?"

For a moment I was temped to tell the truth, but after a moment's hesitation another idea hit me. "Renji was spouting your less than appealing qualities…I kicked him out."

A small pleased grin disrupted the slightly hurt and nervous expression. "I was worried…"

"What?" I barked as he trailed off, the scowl making another appearance. "That I'd fuck Renji?" I was pretty happy that I'd thought up this dialogue, not only would it help rid us of our current audience, but it seemed that the less than ladylike language did something for Ichigo. At the question I could feel where I was touching him as he trembled and his _reiatsu_ flared inside.

Still not the obvious I was used to with Ichigo's _reiatsu_. Hm.

"Why would I ever pick Renji, over you?" I made a soft tsk with my tongue as I lowered to straddle his thighs where he'd managed to get his _hakama_ before being so distracted. His gaze had been locked to me so I noticed when they flickered to the left so fast I would have missed it had I not been staring intently back into his lusty brown eyes. He knew Renji was there too, I bit my bottom lip to keep from chuckling again.

"Um, about a million reasons? He's strong enough to be Byakuya's _fuku__taichō?_ You two grew up with each other, known each other for…years…he has actual sexual experience?"

I shook my head softly as he stroked Renji's ego, _you're definitely too nice for your own good __**baka**__._ "I've known him more than a century _baka_, and even with that bond I only need one reason to chose you over him."

He watched me a moment, uncertain as I leaned forward until I was over him, able to look down into his eyes as I placed a soft kiss on his lips. "Only one?"

"Two reasons if you want to get technical…" I offered as my lips traveled down his jaw to his ear.

"Oh lets be technical…" I heard Ichigo whimper, partly from the soft bite I delivered to his earlobe but mostly because in leaning up to suckle at his ear the rough fabric of the _kimono_ came into contact with the underside of his now straining erection.

"I have known Renji a long time. The way we grew up…either you're best friends like brother and sister or you're lovers," I admitted and I saw the words affect him as he took the worst part of my words. "It may have been lovers for Renji but it's the other for me."

"Is that-"

"Reason one is I love you Ichigo," I pushed out quickly, the whole friction across the bottom of his shaft left him—like any man—a little short on attention span. "Reason two-" I was startled to be interrupted with a kiss more savage than any of his kisses before. I gasped and pulled back to see his startled brown eyes. No hollow.

"Reason two?" Ichigo prompted as he pushed up until he was almost sitting. I felt strong hands on my waist pulling me into his lap.

"Um," I had to close my eyes as I felt him hot and hard along my belly. "You…" I racked my brain for that final punch line but my mind was really functioning on a different task.

"Rukia?" Ichigo's voice came to me, his breath surprising me as it warmed my ear. When had he moved? His breath was ragged as it flowed along my neck. "I really wanna hear it."

I tried to focus but Ichigo's eager hands weren't helping. "You're not helping."

With a sigh Ichigo managed to get his hands to the outside of the _kimono_ where he gripped the edges and wrapped me back into it tightly. "This help?"

I bit my lip as I gave my body a wiggle and brought his attention to the soft friction of my skin where we still touched.

"Rukia!" Ichigo groaned in surprise and I let go of my lip to grin.

"Your cock is bigger."

"M-my-" Ichigo stuttered a moment before…

"Fucking bullshit!" Was shouted off to our left where I had sensed Renji trying to hide outside. Both of us turned to glare toward the wall where the offending spy was attempting to be stealthy. "When's the last time you saw it?" Renji suddenly grumbled to himself as if he realized he'd blundered and revealed his position.

"Renji!" I swung up and let my feet stomp across the floor as I moved for one of the windows in the far corner. "Get outta here!" I shouted with the full force of my _reiatsu_ seeking out the familiar rough energy of Renji where he had tried a high level _kidō_ to mask his presence as opposed to just muffling his _reiatsu_ and hiding within ears reach. It only took the comment about his manhood to crack the _kidō_ and the pulse of my angry spiritual pressure blew the remains away.

"Rukia-"

I was able to thrust a pointing finger out the small window, aiming in the general vicinity of "far away." "Go!" I shouted but he just moved closer to the window, his head tilted back to keep eye contact. I felt his _reiatsu_ battle back softly and had to close my eyes as I felt it move over me in a much too intimate manner. "Renji!" I warned letting the sharp edge of my spiritual pressure press against his and he must have realized what he was doing, I felt his _reiatsu_ retreat.

"I…understand," His rough voice whispered, floating up the few feet between us. I wondered if he meant to echo the words I'd told Ichigo earlier tonight. If he did, he was really telling me that he **didn't** understand. When Ichigo chose Inoue over me I…

"I'm sorry."

"Be happy," He nodded and there was a pulse of his spiritual pressure and it _shunpoed_ him away.

I closed my eyes and pulled back so I could close the window_. I'm sorry…_

_**Rukia-sama?**_

I shook my head and glanced back to see Ichigo hadn't moved from his half-lying position on the futon. I turned but didn't move from where I stood and I saw the understanding fill Ichigo's eyes with pain.

Damn, it had taken so much to get to this point. Honestly was I going to have to keep a binding _kidō_ on the boy to keep him from being altruistic? I wasn't asking him to leave, but he assumed that's what I wanted, or needed, or….something. I gave a soft sigh as I moved to close the distance between us.

"Don't you move," I ordered as he looked like he was going to say his good-byes and get up to leave. I reached down to give a tug to the cuffs of his _hakama_ until his legs fell free of them. I saw him open his mouth to protest and I tried not to growl in frustration and instead let the _kimono_ fall from my shoulders. "Do you want to leave?"

"No but-"

"Don't you dare say, 'but I should'!" I commanded moving down to my knees at the edge of the futon near his hip. "I want you here."

"But-"

"I want you…" I couldn't keep the edge of a growl from each enunciated word. I moved until I could lean over him, a hand braced on either side of his torso. "…Here."

"I'm here," He growled back, scowl firmly fixed in place. "I'm not going anywhere if you really want me to stay with you."

_**And the sex is just a nice bonus…**_Sode no Shirayuki thought and I let out a small chuckle, a wicked grin forming that prompted Ichigo to return the gesture and for a moment I could only stare. I hadn't thought I would see such a look grace his innocent scowling face, I had been surprised earlier tonight when his hollow had given me a glimpse of such a decadent expression.

Urahara had told me it would be easier if I kept my interactions with Ichigo's _shinigami _form, since it would be so much easier to see a mask than the change of his eye color. He didn't explain how he was so knowledgeable when it came to an inner hollow taking control of its _shinigami_, but I figured he knew a little bit of everything by now.

"Good," I nodded decisively and lowered until I could kiss him.

He took me by surprise when he put his arms around me and pulled me over him and rolled until he was pressing me down into the soft mattress. I opened my eyes with a gasp to look up at him and he met my gaze as if he knew exactly what even I didn't know I was looking for, his eyes. "If he takes control I'll have a hollow mask." The intensity in them took my breath away before he ducked down to start a trail of biting kisses down my neck.

"Ichigo," I couldn't help but moan in frustration as he gave a frustrated growl and pulled away from a potentially useful erogenous spot where my shoulder curved to meet the back of my neck. "What's wrong?"

I watched his guilt-ridden brown eyes flicker over where his lips had just been teasing my skin. He gave his head a shake and was able to get a scowl back on his face, chasing away the haunted look. "I…" He shook his head again this time it was a denial, as opposed to a method to recollect his focus. "The hollow m-made a really dark hickie right where I was kissing."

The fact that it was such a nice spot for him to pay attention to might have had an affect on the next words that growled out of me, "Thank _kami_ some part of you knows it's a soft spot, it gives me hope that you'll learn to relax and enjoy yourself without feeling guilty at some point here..."

That got a dark scowl, a little more ominous than Ichigo's usual and I let him see the upward tilt of my lips to calm him down a bit.

"How about…" I continued softly, moving my head so the other side of my neck was stretched taunt out of my hair. "You make a better one on the other side?"

"I'm sorry about what I-" He grit his teeth angrily and closed his eyes. "**He**. I'm sorry about what he-"

"That's it!" I managed to slip out from under him, grabbing his arm to use it to push him further onto the futon and onto his face. The ass-in-the-air pose had been completely unintentional but I admit to it only increasing my confidence in my decision to interrupt.

"Rukia-oof!" Was cut off with the futon.

I released his arm after a few moments but when he tried to roll over I moved until I pressed him back down my hand in the small of his back. "I was going to be properly submissive but…Leave it to you to make this a guilt trip too," I saw his eyes widen as he tried to turn his head and look at me over his shoulder but I only moved closer my breasts pressed into his back as I lowered my chin to his shoulder.

"Rukia…" Ichigo tried to get space enough to roll over and I let my full weight let him know I meant business. "I don't want you acting any part." There was enough room for me to roll out of the way as he tried some move on me meant to switch our positions and as he rolled over to catch me I threw my leg over him to straddle his abdomen pinning him to the bed again this time on his back. He gave a rough grunt that sounded like a chuckle.

His hand moved to touch the spot where his hollow had marked me. "I love you Rukia…It happened before I even knew you were a noble brat…Regular brat."

"_Baka_," I hissed as I felt surprising tears in my eyes. "I'm no noble…not **now**." I leaned in to kiss him my hands moving over his chest leisurely mapping out each muscle under his skin, memorizing the sensation of his _reiatsu_ still contained just inside his skin.

"Noble women don't say, 'cock'," He murmured as his lips migrated to my ear.

"Well I do," I chuckled and he joined me this time his mirth spilling hotly over my neck. "I say lots of things." My hands moved down over his sides my fingers purposefully tickling over the skin and down over the upper abdomen muscles I could reach.

He sucked in a quick breath and I felt his stomach muscles ripple between my legs; ticklish? "Like?"

"Hm," I felt his lips kiss down my neck. "I don't **list** them."

"Tch," His lips curled into a smile against my skin as he found the spot where my shoulder met the back of my neck, the left side left unmarked by the hollow. I felt his tongue trace along my skin and I couldn't help the shiver.

I retaliated by pinching his nipples and ended up only torturing myself as he gave a surprised gasp of pleasure his teeth gently biting my neck in retribution.

I didn't let the low moan that escaped my lips speak for itself as he increased the pressure of his teeth. "The left side feels better."

He moved his hands to play down over my back the rough sword calluses delightful friction on my skin, his _reiatsu_ just beneath the skin of his fingers agonizingly teasing. His lips latched on and he suckled and nibbled until my breath was trembling from me.

I wondered how much Ichigo knew of the things that went on while his hollow was in control. I was ashamed to recall that the golden-eyed Ichigo had hit all the right buttons like he had an innate knowledge of them. I was pretty sure Ichigo was a virgin, but there was a part of him that knew everything, maybe even things I didn't. Or maybe his hollow was well-read. I had always been curious what a _zanpakutō_ did when their _shinigami_ weren't fighting, and the hollow was part of Ichigo like the flip side of _Zangetsu_, at least that's all I could glean from Urahara-tight-lipped bastard.

I let my _reiatsu_ paint where I touched. _Sode no Shirayuki_ murmured approval as I let my spiritual pressure touch anywhere else we pleased.

With so much skin-to-skin contact it wasn't a good sign that I could barely read the reaction of his _reiatsu_, which would be obvious since he was new to the sensations and controlling his emotions and therefore his spiritual pressure. Even I would be having problems if I had chosen to keep my spiritual pressure contained. There was a hotter intensity as I caressed him but none spilled out past his skin.

_**You would focus on that**_, Sode no Shirayuki chastised as Ichigo suddenly thoroughly distracted every aspect of me by sliding his hands down over my ass. His fingers squeezed and I moaned encouragement.

I didn't comment because he didn't stop there. His arms were long enough to stretch, his fingers sliding inward. I could feel the unsure pressure of his fingertips and I lowered my upper body to press against his so I could lift my hips upward and into his touch.

The new angle made room for him to reach between us with one hand to find my clit. It only took a stroke of both hands before my _reiatsu_ spiked and so did the volume of my voice.

Ichigo's teasing mouth abandoned my neck for my lips, as if trying to devour my sounds. It only made it worse, so his fingers slipped away as he murmured, "Sshh."

_**No one is near enough!**_ Sode no Shirayuki sounded outraged and I was not surprised to be as well.

"If you weren't keeping it all bottled up you'd know there was no one close enough…" I let my lips take vengeance on his nipples and I didn't spare him as my _reiatsu_ made him curse quite loudly, but in what I could only describe as a reverent tone. "Ichigo!" I chastised as I squeezed gently with fingernails on his nipples and just as gently in a sheath of my _reiatsu_ around his cock. "Sshh."

_**Do not giggle this time!**_ Sode no Shirayuki ordered as a sudden overflow of Ichigo's spiritual pressure hit my skin. It was pretty tame in comparison to the usual warm overfriendly flood of _reiatsu_ that was usually a constant sensation anywhere near Ichigo. He got his head on straight after the assault of my spiritual pressure, the sweet wash of it over my skin dwindling.

"Okay! You've-oh!-" He gasped and I felt his fingers press into the tops of my thighs. "Proven your…po-**oint**!"

"I don't think so."

_**There went his reiatsu again! **_Sode no Shirayuki whined at the second loss. _**He is not containing it; it is all aimed inward Rukia-sama!**_

"Touch me with your _reiatsu_ Ichigo," I commanded softly.

"My hands were…mmm…They were doing fine before," He managed and I frowned and let him see his own scowl on my face. "Weren't they?"

"You stopped before I could decide," I reminded him and lowered my cheek to rest on his chest, my tongue peeking out to tease his hardened nipple. My _reiatsu_ made his reply incoherent as his hips moved upward in an almost involuntary thrust.

"You gotta…stop that or-" Ichigo growled and I considered ignoring him.

"_Baka_," I stopped teasing him but as his body relaxed in relief I moved up on my hands. "How dare you expect our first night together to end after one orgasm," I lifted one dark eyebrow as if he should know better.

Well he should.

For a moment his eyes were unfocused and a grimace made me hesitate as I moved down his body. "Ichigo?"

_**It is the hollow taunting him, **_Sode no Shirayuki whispered. _**He will be unable to relax his reiatsu if I do not…Be right back.**_

I paused as Ichigo's eyes found mine with a slight panic to the brown. _If you don't what? _I was shocked to get no reply.

"What?" Ichigo gasped and I felt his body coil and tighten like a steel band.

_**Sorry Rukia-sama.**_

I touched his chest only a moment before he relaxed on his own, like a switch inside and I was overtaken with his warm rushing _reiatsu_ as it spilled out of Ichigo's skin.

* * *

**A/N - **Sorry for the cliffhanger chapter, need to read through the rest of the chapter, should be up in the next few days.


	3. Dancing

**A/N: **Didn't take that long at all did it? Won't bore you with my ramblings...Onward...The final chapter AHEM (_of this particular FF_)...

* * *

Dancing

I couldn't help the relieved smile and I continued down and my movement caught Ichigo's undivided attention.

"How did you do that earlier, with your _reiatsu_?" Ichigo asked as he put two and two together, my eager grin and the new position I had taken, one knee pressing into the futon between his legs, the other on the outside straddling his lower thigh.

By the time he thought to protest I'd already had my lips lowered into place, my tongue twirling teasingly under the head of his penis.

"Practice it on yourself first…may I suggest a nipple?" I murmured around him and his eyes fluttered shut with a groan. I only played a moment there before moving more past my lips.

"Shit! Rukia…" Ichigo continued in a hiss of other curses.

I hummed in answer and suddenly his long fingers were deep in my hair, both hands cupping the back of my head. There was no push downward or tug upward so I continued down, letting my tongue make Ichigo moan another curse and a litany of approval.

Disappointed to find him hitting the back of my throat so soon I moved my hands to squeeze the rest. It only took a few strokes before his _reiatsu_ spiked and I felt his hands trying to pull my mouth away.

"Rukia, stop-"

I let a growl vibrate along his length as I started caressing him with my _reiatsu_. His body shuddered and I felt him tighten in my hands.

I leaned forward and felt his body spasm, driving him deeper and I fought not to gag. As my throat tightened I heard him bark out my name in surprise and then he was spilling down my throat. I swallowed him down and his reaction was a pleading whimper as the muscles in my throat drove him through another unexpected wave of pleasure.

"Shit I'm sorry," He started and I lifted my head, my lips caressing up as I let him leave my mouth, my tongue sliding along making him shiver. He was looking down at me, his brown eyes startled as I sent him a heated look my fingers squeezing into his scrotum. I could tell that the pressure of my fingers-as intended-was distracting, but he was more concerned with what he probably considered a lack of stamina. I was getting tired of apologies.

"Now what for?" I murmured running my tongue over my lips and smacking them together as if searching for leftovers. His eyes locked onto the motion and I smiled and finally released him.

"I…" He glanced down at his groin and then back up at me. I shook my head with a few clicks of my tongue in disapproval and thought about telling him, with _Sode no Shirayuki's_ help concerning his hollow; we now had all the time in the world. I was beyond grateful for my _zanpakutō's_ help; I'd be pretty pissed if Ichigo decided to leave for my own safety's sake again, especially now!

"Prove it," I murmured as he hesitated to repeat things that had made me quite furious earlier, smart boy.

"How?"

"Make me come." I only had a moment to chuckle inwardly to myself at the dark flash of lust in his beautiful eyes before he sat up and wrapped his fingers around my upper arms and pull me back toward the head of the futon. When I gave a light-hearted struggle he bent his leg, his knee pressing between my legs and I rode it until I was firmly pressed torso-to-torso, our lips meeting.

"I don't know if I can…I mean with my _reiatsu_-I-" His blush made me kiss him, I couldn't help it, and it took him by surprise. "I don't want to hurt you."

"You don't have to do anything," I reassured him. "Just…don't keep it bottled in."

"That's not hard for me to do," He scoffed in a self-deprecating tone.

I stopped focusing my _reiatsu_ into doing anything in particular and let it relax against his and I watched his eyes close slowly as it mingled easily with his now that he wasn't doing anything consciously with it as well. "It feels good as long as you're not angry, or filling it with a killing intent to fight." I didn't mention-this time-that the prickly rush of angry _reiatsu_ wasn't all that bad either in certain circumstances.

"Good," I leaned back, only enough to run a fingernail idly around his nipple. "Do you need any other suggestions?"

With an eyebrow arched high a wicked grin curved Ichigo's lips, I was sure he didn't want me to notice the blush, but notice it I did. "Suggestion, eh? Be my guest."

I laughed softly and he lowered his gaze, the blush growing darker. I was glad it was only me in my head as I chastised myself for coming back to corrupting this poor young man. _Poor boy,_ I thought drily to myself, missing the titter of laughter I no doubt would have gotten from _Sode no Shirayuki._

Ichigo took me by surprise, and before I could counter I found myself pressed into the downy softness of the futon. I could barely contain the moan that rose at the warm weight of his body, as he settled between my legs. I had made the correct assumption earlier when I guessed Ichigo's youthful vigor would come into play. I had to bite my lower lip to contain the rumbling moan that rose as he pressed against me, already well on his way to being hard again.

I'm sure he was expecting a vocal suggestion, but as his silken hardness pressed against me my body made the suggestion. My hips rolled, toes curling in the blankets as I braced my feet for leverage and I slid along his length. I heard him grunt a curse and his hips dipped the head of his penis sliding again; if he angled his hips he would have been inside me.

I didn't have time to wonder at his original intention, as he pulled his hips back again and moved against me again. His hands slipped gently along my hips, as if trying to get me to lie still. I fought the urge to meet his teasing thrusts, and I was rewarded as one of my nipples was treated to the rough skin of his palm as he cupped one breast.

After only a moment I found myself growling, "Harder." I wasn't sure which I meant, but his attentions were almost too gentle. I mentally slapped myself and reminded myself that he didn't know how to touch a woman.

Our eyes met and I could see the uncertainty under the lust pooled in his warm brown eyes. I moved my hands from the fists clenched in the blanket to capture his head by way of his ears so I could pull him down for a kiss. One couldn't tell just how timid he was by his kiss, there was definitely a difference between the areas in which he was confident and not.

I was embarrassed to lose myself enough for a moan to slip past where his mouth devoured mine, a kiss? _Shit Rukia it's just a kiss!_ My fingers tightened in his hair as I felt his lips start to withdraw and I felt rather than heard him chuckle as his teeth captured my bottom lip. He pulled another moan from me as he pulled back, teeth scraping.

"You're not nearly as bossy as I thought you'd be," He murmured and the moment the fire of outrage hit my eyes I saw his lips curl up in another wicked smile. He ducked forward, his lips trailing down my jaw to find my ear, were he spend a considerable amount of time tracing the folds with the tip of his tongue before breathing hot along my earlobe and neck. "Are you sure you don't wanna tell me what to do to you…Rukia?"

I know what I wanted to tell him to do, _fuck me Ichigo, now...now...ugh, now!_ I winced as in my attempt to keep my vulgar suggestion to myself I bit down too hard on my bottom lip. I didn't suppress a whimper as I felt his body move away and my hands flew down to manage a wide-fingered grip on each butt cheek.

I felt his fingers tickle along my knee, caressing upward and in to the sensitive skin of my inner thigh. "What?" He murmured and I tore my gaze away from his fingers to find his eyes eager to meet mine. "What do you want Rukia?"

My eyes slammed shut as his fingers moved to tease my clit, but just as quickly moved back to running lazy circles on my skin. "Touch me!" I growled and he merely chuckled in response, pulling out of my arms. "Ichigo?" I barely kept my voice from whining as his fingers slid back down my leg to my knee.

I opened my eyes in time to look down and catch his dark gaze, his brilliant head ducking forward so his tongue could flicker out to taste me. As my legs started to squeeze inward his hand pressed down on my knee throwing me off balance. I threw my hands out and pushed into the futon to catch my balance, back arching as he latched onto my clit. His other hand moved to join him, his fingertips delving inside, sliding deeper as his tongue drove me faster toward the edge that I thought possible.

"Yes!" Tore out of my lips in a gasp of air that slipped right back out as a needy moan.

I might have stood a chance had he stopped there, but he always had to surprise me, go that extra unexpected step. I hadn't noticed him trying anything specific with his _reiatsu_ like I'd suggested, but I do believe I was much too distracted at that moment to focus on anything but that mouth.

Ichigo proceeded to scatter my thus far collected wits by concentrating his spiritual pressure where he stroked. I felt the sharp buzz of his _reiatsu_ as it seemed to make the girth of his fingers much wider, the lap of his tongue rougher, electrified.

"_FuckyesIchigo_!" Pushed out of my lips and I knew somewhere in the back of my mind that I was about to pull two fistfuls of orange hair out of Ichigo's head. I don't remember moving my hands but I seriously can't be blamed as the climax he drove me to turned me inside out.

His fingers were confident, didn't stop slipping in and out of me as I spasmed around his fingers, trying to pull him inside and keep him there. The stimulation of his spiritual pressure expanded and rubbed inside me driving me crazy, making the ripples of pleasure continue until I was trembling. My eyes kept his as long as I could hold them open, drinking in the proof of his natural aptitude to play my body like a musical instrument.

Good. It wasn't just the hollow.

As we both went still his lips moved to kiss my inner thigh, resting his lips against the tender flesh, hot breath still panting hotly out of his nose and down my leg. I shivered as he moved his hands up the outsides of my thighs until he could slip his hands underneath me to cup my ass. "You okay?" Whispered out over my skin and I shivered again, and focused on making my grip on his hair slacken.

"_Ba-ka..._" I was able to pant, losing my grip as he tilted his head upward so that I could see the scowl on his face. I wasn't ashamed to notice instead that arousal had blown his pupils. "Of course..."

"Brat," Ichigo barked without malice, there was an actual upward tilt to one corner of his lips. "I meant my _reiatsu_..." His meaning was quite obvious as he paused and his sweet face blushed. "It wasn't too much?"

"No! Oh, no, no, no..." I murmured in a pleased purr, eyelids fluttering closed as I let myself savor the afterglow of one of the best orgasms I'd experienced. I decided after a few moments of debate not to tell him this, even if I'm pretty sure I'd get a full out smile from him.

Men and their egos you know.

"Good," I heard Ichigo growl and I opened my eyes as I felt his body move over me, his skin and _reiatsu_ brushing along mine. Ichigo's hands lifted me as he slid closer between my legs, his erection hard and straining as it rubbed against me. "Ready for round two?"

His hands pressed into the futon on either side of my head as he curled his hips and created a slippery friction between us that drove the lethargic afterglow straight out of me. I wrapped my legs around his waist and lifted my arms to curl them around the back of his shoulders. "Sit back," I ordered him and he slipped a hand under the small of my back so that he could lift me with him as he sat up, his other hand moved to brace in the futon behind him.

"Fuck, Rukia..." Ichigo's voice came out barely above a whisper, and the only reason I heard it was because by now his hungry mouth was pressed into the side of my neck. I heard the nervous excitement in every huffed syllable. His hips bucked upward, but he was still sandwiched against me so only succeeded in producing more of that maddening friction.

"Yes..." I agreed as I uncurled my legs from around him so I could push my feet into the blankets so I could lift myself up off of him enough so that he could angle his hips up. I kept an arm curled tightly around him but the other I made sure to slip between us so I could hold him steady as I lowered slowly back into his lap. "Oh-" I let out in a strange gasping moan as he went very still, his muscles straining, dark eyes locked between us where he was disappearing inside me. Watching and letting me do the work.

I realized he was letting me go at my own pace, I was built small, he was not. I could feel the coil in his muscles, as my steadying hand moved around to press into the small of his back, I could feel him holding himself in check. I didn't have a problem after the orgasm he'd hit me with, there was more than enough lubricant and I was kind of surprised-but mostly fucking happy-that all of him fit. As I felt him press against my limits I stopped, giving a small wiggle of my hips to settle more comfortably in his lap.

The move treated me to the sight of Ichigo's head lolling back on his shoulders so he could aim his needy moan at the ceiling. I liked the sight, but didn't like missing the expression that went with that sound. "Oh fuck Rukia-you feel..." I interrupted him with a kiss and I curled my toes into the blankets of the futon so I could use my legs to push back up and halfway off his cock. More obscenities spilled out instead and his hips snapped up to drive himself firmly back inside.

"How?" I managed to moan, I wasn't sure it was even coherent until he actually answered.

"Fuckin' hot..."

"Good?"

"Yess," Hissed out as we finally found our rhythm. His fingers dug into my hip but didn't bother to attempt guiding me; I honestly had no problem showing him how to drive me crazy.

Masochist I suppose.

I'm saving most of the more kinky stuff for another day.

This time...It's different than any others. It could be so many things.

Only Time. Last Time. First Time.

Before I could start thinking (thinking-honestly) Ichigo adjusted the buck of his hips until he pulled almost all the way out before snapping up and deep inside. "So tight Rukia...HmgRukia _areyousure_-"

"Yes, yes, yes...Ichigo faster?"

"Faster?" Ichigo pulled back from putting Hichigo's mark to shame on my neck. The scowl on his face didn't slow my rhythm, it just might have sped it up.

"Can't go faster?" I teased and the next sound I made was less dignified, something like a yelp as he bucked me off and I landed on the futon, pillows under my shoulders, my head hanging off the edge of the futon.

"Like this," Ichigo answered with a small sure nod of his head, crawling over me again his hands flat on the floor under my head, forearms bracing my shoulders as he slid right back inside me. "Okay?"

I only nodded as he didn't delay getting back up to speed. I could only moan brokenly as he showed me how fast he could drive into me...drive me to the edge.

When his thrusts came harder, I curled my hips up into his movements. "Fuck," Ichigo gasped and his rhythm skipped as I focused my tingling spiritual pressure to press into his perineum.

"Yes," I moaned and I could feel through the intent of his _reiatsu_ (I was swimming in it) that only a little more stimulation and he'd explode.

If this is the only time we can...

I nudge with a tendril of _reiatsu_ even as he continued to drive inside me. I was almost undone as Ichigo countered by pressing his _reiatsu_ inside along with his hot silken length. "Ichigo!" My body bowed up into his, pressing our torso together at the sensation of his aroused _reiatsu_ rubbing inside me, reaching where he physically couldn't.

"Ya like that huh?" Ichigo panted in a pleased growl.

"Yes," I answered, knowing it would please him even more to hear it. "Harder...and you'll make me commm-" I bit off the moan as suddenly the best idea came to me.

I tried my best to concentrate to keep my questing _reiatsu_ as gentle as I could as I slid it further back. Even though it was hardly enough to feel intrusive Ichigo's body still stiffened in uncertainty.

"Ichigo..." I crooned as his movements slowed. He met my gaze again and I was sure he hated the blush on his cheeks. I loved it. I caught my bottom lip to keep myself from telling him, or cursing as he slowed to a stop half-inside me.

Instead I ignored the blushing body language and gave his entrance a rub.

"Ngh-Not cool-" He tried to yelp but the rock of his hips (against my _reiatsu_) belayed his protest.

"Ichigo...two things," I gave a buck of my hips and his curled away from the _reiatsu_ and into me. "Fuck me."

"And?" He lifted an orange eyebrow as he withdrew and slowly eased back inside.

"Trust me."

"With my life."

I saw another blush and was pretty sure he hadn't meant to say that part out loud. I gave another little rub back and forth, this time as a distraction while I found his prostate without telling him about it. Just a gentle trickle of _reiatsu_ inside. Ichigo was focused on his thrust, my hips' counter, my body and the hot, wet slid of his cock...

I'll be honest, my mind was preoccupied too.

The softest nudge of my _reiatsu_ to Ichigo's prostate and our bodies came together with a hard fleshy smack as he whimpered curses that would have made his hollow proud along the skin of my neck. Ichigo went very still, pressed deep inside me, panting into my hair.

"Again?" I teased.

"You do that again...'nd...it's gonna make me come," He grunted out in ragged gasps.

"Oh goodie," I hummed. "Then you'd better mo-"

I didn't even get to finish the sentence. Ichigo lifted his hips and I could only hold on as he hammered back in. I also managed to remind Ichigo just **how** much I like what he's doing, vocally and at full volume. The _reiatsu_ and the fast and hard tempo of his thrusts were just perfect enough to quickly become too much for me.

"Ichigo..." I whined as I caught the lusty bright eyes with a wrinkle between his eyebrows that had nothing to do with a scowl.

"Rukia?" He managed to grunt.

"Come with me."

"Lemme know when you-"

I didn't have the wherewithal to tell him "_rightthefucknow_," before my climax took words from my brain altogether. The sudden wave of pleasure made my attempt at another gentle rub to his prostate into an overwhelming nudge.

"Fuck!" Ichigo's hips slammed into mine only screwing up the rhythm a moment as he followed me headlong into climax.

I gave an echo of his curse in surprise when Ichigo's teeth sunk into my neck. My muscles went taut as the bite hit some button I was unaware of, sending my downward spiral back up in an intense wave.

...

"Rukia?" Ichigo's concerned whisper intruded on my numb brain.

I passed out? _Whoa..._

"Are you okay?"

"Yes, I always pass out after sex."

"Really?"

I let my eyes flutter open and there's the scowl I love. "No, but I'm fine." Even if I can feel a blush burning my face. "Better than that."

I noticed I had been out long enough for Ichigo to move me back onto the futon. He was still halfway on top of me but we were both under the blankets now. "You?"

"Fuck Rukia," Ichigo rolled onto his back and I grinned as I watched. "I don't think I've ever come that hard."

"No copying my lines Kurosaki," I teased, moving one leg until my heel knocked into his shin.

"Brat," He laughed and lifted his leg to rub his shin. "You want me to lie about it?"

I was about to tell him what really wanted him to do-repeat performance-when a familiar voice purred.

_**Rukia-sama I have sensed the return of the Urahara-san and the others.**_ Sode no Shirayuki's thoughts sounded just as debauched as I felt. I grinned as I met Ichigo's quizzical expression, basically a scowl with one eyebrow more arched than the other. "I want you to hold me."

I felt his arm curl around my shoulders trying to roll me toward his chest but I grabbed his other arm and pulled it around my waist as I rolled away until we were spooned together Ichigo's front pressed firmly to my back. "Like this. Got it?"

Both of Ichigo's arms curled tight around me and pulled me closer, lips pressed to the tender bite mark he'd left on my neck. His lips vibrated as he hummed, "Mm-hm."

My eyes drifted closed as the warmth of his arms made me feel safe. The warm buzz of his spiritual pressure lulled me to the edge of sleep.

We were both quiet for a long time before I heard him murmur, "I'm so sorry, Rukia..." His lips moved tenderly over the back of my neck like a string of kisses. "I love you...m'such a selfish bastard..."

I figured he meant that last part for himself. I really didn't want to rouse myself enough to be indignant so it was easier. I'd always had a hard time falling asleep, probably because of my childhood, so this peaceful afterglow lethargy was a great gift indeed.

"...Love you _baka_..." I managed before succumbing to the magic of his arms.

#

Somehow I should have expected Ichigo to leave. _Sode no Shirayuki_ said she distracted the hollow but not for more than a few precious hours.

She apologized for not manipulating a promise to behave from the hollow. _**He probably would have given me anything.**_

I didn't accept the apology and told her that I could never ask her to do such a horrible thing. The wistful feel to her thoughts told me my _zanpakutō_ had been affected by Hichigo just like I had been.

Ichigo was hard not to love damn it.

_What does the hollow look like?_ I asked as I sniffed at the spot where his spiky orange head had rested. I pictured a horrible tentacled thing like the beast that had taken Kaien.

_**Just like Ichigo, only done in white.**_

Once again there was that wistful tone to her thoughts and I knew exactly why she might long for Ichigo's hollow. What the _shinigami_ loved their _zanpakutō_ loved. And ironically _Sode no Shirayuki_ was me done in white.

"Neesan?"

At first I ignored the whisper, wondering how far gone I was that Kon could sneak up on me. Then I gave a long sigh and muttered, "What Kon?"

"I was wonderin' if..." He trailed off and I wondered at the subdued sound of his voice. He was usually vehement about even the littlest of details. "I don't wanna bug ya, but I..."

I rolled over so I could see him standing in his plushie body a few feet from the futon. His head was bowed, eyes fascinated with the pattern of the floor at his feet. "Kon?" At the change in my voice he looked up just as I reached out and grabbed him to pull him closer. I rolled back over and he gave a startled shout as I tucked him into my chest and squeezed him close.

Silence reigned for a few moments, but the bigmouth never stayed quiet for long. "You okay Neesan?"

"I'm fine," I lied and I knew he could tell. "Where have **you** been?"

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**A/N: **Oh where has Kon been? Um, drinkin' sake with Orhime. Wut? Believe it "Drinking w/the King" #5793706. Read it. Review. Oh and review this, might as well do it now while the story is fresh, get it outta the way, ne?


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